Letter of Determination

Transcription

1 SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING DEPARTMENT July 31, 2013 Letter of Determination 1650 Mission St. Suite 400 San Francisco, CA Philip A. Ginsburg Reception: General Manager Recreation & Parks Department Fax: 501 Stanyan Street 415, San Francisco, CA Planning Information: Re: Public Wi-Fi Service for Parks and Plazas Staff Contact: Omar Masry, (415) or Dear Mr. Ginsburg: This letter is in response to your request for a Letter of Determination as to whether public Wi-Fi service for parks and plazas throughout the City and County of San Francisco may be considered as an Accessory Use under the Planning Code. The Wi-Fi deployment would expand upon the City s Community Broadband Network program, and provide non-commercial wireless internet access for park visitors. After reviewing previous determinations, Planning Code Section 204 (Accessory Uses, General), and the information submitted with your letter, I have determined that the proposed antenna and equipment installations described below would be incidental and subordinate to the primary use of public parks and plazas and would fall within the scope of accessory uses as authorized in previous letters of determinations for other wireless service providers. This authorization shall be limited to the following: 1. The installations would be limited to the following equipment: a. Wireless Access Point Routers, approximately 15" x 7" x 2"(or smaller) in size and mounted on light poles and inside park buildings; with the number of routers dependent on park size and desired coverage area. b. Bridge Points (parabolic dishes), approximately 16" x 13" x 16" in size and mounted on light poles; with on average one to three bridge points per park site or plaza. c. Equipment boxes, approximately 14" x 12" x 7" in size, mounted on poles or light poles; with generally no more than one to two boxes per park site or plaza. 2. Based on specifications submitted with your letter, the proposed installations would not have any adverse aesthetic or visual impacts on the subject properties or the surrounding vicinities due to the following parameters:

2 Phillip A. Ginsberg, General Manager July 31, 2013 Recreation & Parks Department Letter of Determination 501 Stanyan Street Public Wi-Fi Service for Parks and Plazas San Francisco CA a. The number of antennas, routers, bridges, and boxes shall be scaled, based on specific park or plaza size, in or to provide sufficient coverage; while not detracting from the aesthetic nature of parks and plaza. b. Antennas, bridges, routers and equipment boxes would be installed at above grade locations, primarily on cobra head street light poles under the jurisdiction of SFPUC or Recreation and Parks. Installation locations shall minimize visibility and ensure no reduction in park land, access to amenities, or the availability of parking. c. The installation (antennas, bridges, routers and equipment boxes, and cabling) shall be painted to match the color of the existing building, concealed, screened and/or otherwise designed to blend with the existing architectural features, limiting them from public view. 3. Installations must comply with the design review of the Planning Department. 4. Installations must meet all requirements set forth within the current and subsequent versions of the Planning Department s Wireless Telecommunication Services (WTS) Facility Siting Guidelines and WTS Application Checklist for Accessory Uses. 5. Individual radio frequency (RF) emission calculations for each site shall be provided to the Department of Public Health for review. 6. Accessory uses, such as the proposed, are typically considered categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (Section 15303, Class 3 Categorical Exemption, Installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures). However, when antennas and equipment are proposed on a building or other element of historical or architectural significance, additional review by Planning Department Preservations Staff or the Historic Preservation Commission may be required. If for any reason the Zoning Administrator finds that this determination is no longer applicable, or an individual site merits review and authorization from the Planning Commission, the Zoning Administrator may require conditional use authorization for proposed sites. APPEAL: If you believe this determination represents an error in interpretation of the Planning Code or abuse in discretion by the Zoning Administrator, an appeal may be filed with the Board of Appeals within 15 days of the date of this letter. For information regarding the appeals process, please contact the Board of Appeals located at 1650 Mission Street, Room 304, San Francisco, or call (415) Sincerely, Scott F. Sanchez Zoning Administrator SAN FRANCISCO 2 PLANNING DEPARTMENT

3 Phillip A. Ginsberg, General Manager July 31, 2013 Recreation & Parks Department Letter of Determination 501 Stanyan Street Public Wi-Fi Service for Parks and Plazas San Francisco CA cc: Citywide Neighborhood Group Mailing List Omar Masry, AICP, Planner SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING DEPARTMENT

4 Edwin M. Lee, Mayor Philip A. Ginsburg, General Manager July 26, 2013 San Francisco Planning Department Attn: Scott Sanchez, Zoning Administrator 1650 Mission Street, Suite 400 San Francisco, CA RE: Request for Letter of Determination Regarding WiFi in City Parks Dear Mr. Sanchez, Pursuant to a unique partnership between the Department of Technology and the Recreation and Park Department, the City and County of San Francisco is proposing to expand the Community Broadband Network by providing free wireless access to the internet ("WiFi") for visitors to 31 public parks and plazas across the City. Under the proposal, the cost of procuring and installing this service will be generously donated by the San Francisco Citizens Initiative for Technology and Innovation ("sf.citi"), a non-profit consortium of technology companies, to the Department of Technology, who will own and ultimately maintain the equipment, and hosted by the Recreation and Park Department as a benefit to park users. On behalf of the Department of Technology and the Recreation and Park Department and in furtherance of this proposal, I request a Letter of Determination that the installation of WiFi facilities in the manner described below is an accessory use of public parks in the City. City parks in New York, Seattle, Dallas, and Fresno currently provide this recreational amenity, along with the State Park systems in California, Minnesota, and Texas. Recreational destinations such as Disneyland and AT&T Park also provide free WiFi, as well as Yellowstone National Park and the National Mall. All 31 parks and plazas under the proposal are owned and maintained by the Recreation and Park Department, and zoned P for Public Use. (See Attachment for a list of the 31 sites). The telecommunications equipment to provide WiFi in the parks under this proposal is detailed in the Attachment, which shows photos, specifications, and quantities. This is followed by an aerial photo of each park site with symbols indicating the approximate installation locations. The proposed installations on light poles will only use either (1) cobra head street light poles under the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Commission ("PUC"), with whom the Department of Technology will execute a Memorandum of Understanding governing such installation, or (2) cobra head light poles under the jurisdiction of the Recreation and Park Department. There will be no signage or decals affixed to the equipment, and all antennas, bridges, routers and boxes will be installed in above grade locations designed to not conflict with recreation areas or accessibility. At those parks sites with a recreation center, WIFI equipment will be mounted on rooftops and inside the recreation center buildings, typically in utility closets or behind the acoustic ceiling, but in all cases not visible Capital Improvement Division 130 Van Ness Ave. - 5th FI.1 San Francisco, CA PH: FAX: www.parks.sfgoV.org

5 by the public. At those sites, the Recreation and Park Department will obtain any necessary permits and approvals from the Department of Building Inspection for electrical modifications. Additionally, Rec Park will be required to submit emission calculations for each site to the Department of Public Health for its review. The life of the WiFi equipment is five years. The W1Fi equipment will be installed in a manner that allows it to be easily removed without damaging the sites or leaving any trace of the equipment. At the end of five years, the Department of Technology (as the equipment owner) may choose to remove the equipment, in which case all street poles and other sites would then be returned to original form and function. The Department of Technology could also choose to leave the equipment on for longer than 5 years if the technology has not become itdated by then. Regardless, the equipment will be removable and leave no trace following removal. The installation of WiFi equipment will not reduce, increase, or in any way affect public access to the following: light pole functionality, the use of any park land or park amenity, quantity of parking, trees, or the public rightof-way. If and when the City determines there would be a public benefit served by installing WiFi equipment at additional park sites, the installation would be designed to be consistent with the scale, character, and usage of the particular park sites, and installed in the same manner, placement, and method as described in this proposal. Free WiFi is primarily intended to benefit park users with mobile computing devices, but the wireless signal will be available to pedestrians on adjacent public streets, as well as nearby residents and businesses. There is no barrier to entry for WiFi users and no commercial signal will be sent or received from any of the equipment. I appreciate your review of this request. If you require any additional information, please contact Taylor Emerson of my staff, at [email protected] or Sincerely Phil Ginsb rg General Manager cc: Mike McCarthy, Department of Technology Dan Sider, Assistant Zoning Administrator, Planning Department Capital Improvement Division 130 Van Ness Ave. - 5th Fl. I San Francisco, CA PH: FAX: I

6 Attachment WiF1 Utility Installation for Hi Tech Parks A joint project by Department of Technology and the Recreation & Parks Department

7 WiF1 Utility Installation for 1-li Tech Parks - a joint project by Department of Technology and the Recreation & Parks Department D Site List Address Block/Lot Wireless Access Point Tropos Router 1410 (or similar) 15"x7 x2" Bridge - Ubiquiti Nanobridge (or similar) 16 x13"x16" Tropos Router 3320/3310 (or similar) 8.5"x7 x3 NEMA Box HW-N14-1 (or similar) 14 x12 x7 - mounted on arm of light poles, toward mounted on light pole toward light head mounted invisibly in building in interior, not visible to mounted on pole of light poles light head or on rooftop public 5 ALAMO SQUARE Fulton and Hayes 0799/ BALBOA PARK San Jose & Havelock 3179/ BERNAL HEIGHTS RECREATION CENTER 500 Moultrie 5707/ BOEDDEKER PARK Taylor and Jones 0332/ CHINESE RECREATION CENTER 1101 Washington St 0213/ CIVIC CENTER PLAZA Polk, Grove, McAII, Larkin 0788/ CORONA HEIGHTS/RANDALL MUSEUM Roosevelt & Museum Wy 2615/ CROCKER AMAZON PLAYGROUND Geneva and Moscow 6284A/ DUBOCE PARK/HARVEY MILK ARTS CTR Duboce & Scott St 0876/ EUREKA VALLEY REC CENTER 100 Collingwood St 2694/ GENE FRIEND REC CENTER/SOMA 270 6th St 3731/ HAMILTON REC CENTER 1900 Geary Blvd 0703/ HUNTINGTON PARK Taylor and Sacramento 0245/ JOSEPH LEE RECREATION CENTER 1395 Mendell St 5310/ JUSTIN HERMAN PLAZA Market and Embarcadero 0233/ MARGARET S. HAYWARD PLAYGROUND 1016 Laguna 0759/ MARINA GREEN Marina BId & Fillmore 0900/ MINNIE & LOVIE WARD REC CENTER 650 Capitol 7068/ MISSION DOLORES PARK 19th & Dolores St 3586/ MISSION RECREATION CENTER 2450 Harrison St 3612/ PALEGA RECREATION CENTER 500 Felton St 5930/ PORTSMOUTH SQUARE Kearny & Clay 0209/ RICHMOND RECREATION CENTER th Ave 1415/ ST MARY S RECREATION CENTER Murray & Justin Dr 5801/ ST. MARY S SQUARE 633 California St 0258/ SUE BIERMAN PARK Clay St & The Embarcadero 0202/020 Included in Justin Herman Plaza 7 SUNNYSIDE PLAYGROUND Teresita & Melrose 3064/ SUNSET PLAYGROUND 2201 Lawton St 1915/ TENDERLOIN CHILDREN S REC CENTER 570 Ellis St 0322/ UPPER NOE RECREATION CENTER May & Sanchez St 6638/ WASHINGTON SQUARE junion & Powell 0102/ TOTAL

8 it Only this type of light pole will be Wireless Access Point: Tropos Router (or used, either a sidewalk pole under similar) approx. 15"x7"x2" installed on a the jurisdiction of PUC or a light street light pole pole within a park site under the jurisdiction RPD Ubiquiti Nanobridge ("Bridge") M2 (or similar) approx. 16"M 3"xI 6" NEMA box (or similar) for sites with no building or fiber

9 Alamo Square Park Four (4) wireless access points will be installed, one each on four light poles (shown with green wifi symbol)

10 Balboa Park I F, LVY t 4 Nine (9) wireless access points will be installed, one each on nine light poles.

11 Bernal Heights Recreation Center XK 1 r -- ta22.4,--- Three (3) wireless access points will be installed one each on three light poles.

12 Boeddeker Park : A4 :1 il V Four (4) wireless access points will be installed one each on four light poles

13 1 "4..:.. i. L. I w L - Two (2) wireless access points will be installed one each on two light poles

14 Civic Center T V..4..r jam.. I I I : -:- I - I / Aju Twelve (12) wireless access points will be installed one each on twelve light poles

15 Corona Heights/Randall Museum TV le 2 One (1) wireless access point and one bridge will be installed on one parking lot light pole.

16 Crocker Amazon Playground Z :-?, Q,! I. k,... -D Five (5) wireless access points will be installed one each on five light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these five light poles.

17 Duboce Park/Harvey Milk Recreational Arts Building Three (3) wireless access points will be mounted one each on three light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these three light poles.

18 Eureka Valley Recreational Center / / Four (4) wireless access points will be mounted one each on four light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four light poles.

19 I- a) C) 0 0 C) I- U C) 0 Cl) V a) LL C) C) IM U) a) 0 0 C) 0 C.) a) a) 0 D a) -I-i 0 E a) -o U) 4-I 0 0 U) U) a) 0 0 Cd) (n a) a) = 0 LL I ALI I

20 Hamilton Recreation Center Four (4) wireless access points will be installed one each on four light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four light poles.

21 Huntington Square ME-

22 Joseph Lee Recreation Center IP One (1) wireless access point will be installed on a sidewalk light pole.

23 Justin Herman Plaza and Sue Bierman Park i ) Li 1: f I ooww YZI Mi Twelve (12) wireless access points will be installed one each on twelve light poles. Three (3) bridges will be installed on three of these twelve light poles. One (1) NEMA box will installed on one of these twelve light poles. I

24 Margaret Hayward - Four (4) wireless access points ww hght poles

25 Marina Green I ~9 1- Nine (9) wireless access points will be installed one each on nine light poles.

26 Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center AW I I.. Four (4) wireless access points will be installed one each on four light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four light poles.

27 Mission Dolores Park Seven (7) wireless access points will be installed one each on seven light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these seven light poles. One (1) NEMA box will be installed on one of the seven light poles.

28 Mission Recreation Center Pr it V.-., ;. b One (1) wireless access point will be installed on a light pole. II

29 Palega Recreation Center Four (4) wireless ac;::points will be installed one each on four light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four light poles.

30 Portsmouth Square CiA I I I IT AI (1) bridge and one (1) NEMA box will also be in- Eight (8) wireless access points will be installed one each on eight light poles. One stalled on one of these eight light poles.

31 Richmond Recreation Center I I - / I One (1) wireless access point will be installed on one light pole. One (1) bridge will also be installed on this light pole.

32 St Mary s Recreation Center Two (2) wireless access points will be mounted one each on two light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these two light poles.

33 St. Mary s Square log r - \k\ : IL : $ -c - a - i- - To w Two (2) wireless access points will be installed one each on two light poles. One (1) bridge and one (1) NEMA box will also be installed on one of these two light poles.

34 Sunnyside Playground Three (3) wireless access points will be installed one each on three light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these three light poles. One (1) NEMA box will be installed on one of the three light poles.

35 Sunset Recreation Center S? U, ; _ I Li J - Four (4) wireless access points will be installed one each on four light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four light poles.

36 Tenderloin Children s Recreation Center MILAN Sk TI a 1

37 Upper Noe Recreation Center Four (4) wireless access points will be installed one each on four light poles. One light poles. (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these four

38 Washington Square I Six (6) wireless access points will be installed one each on six light poles. One (1) bridge will also be installed on one of these six light poles. One NEMA box will be installed on one of these six light poles.